The Stunning Hair Transformation Of Kate Middleton

If there's one thing we know, it's that Kate Middleton has, hands-down, the best hair this side of Buckingham Palace. It's long, it's glossy, and it's always perfectly coiffed, regardless of whether she is standing in a rainstorm, just took off a bicycle helmet, or is about to climb into a fighter jet. And although she's one of the world's most photographed women, an air of mystery surrounds her effortlessly glamorous hair. How does it stay so perfect? She is a princess after all, and some secrets just come with the job.

While Kate Middleton's hair always has its signature bounce and regal quality, it has also changed through the years. Thanks to those changes, her hair always looks amazing and manages to keep us on our toes, all while braving everything from unideal weather conditions to diamond-studded tiaras. There are bangs, there are updos, and there are even ponytails. But there are no — and we repeat no — missteps. A look at Middleton's tresses during her years in the spotlight shows that her hair journey is nothing short of perfection.

William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, met at Scotland's prestigious University of St. Andrews, so it is fitting that Kate Middleton's hair journey starts here, too. Fun fact: Middleton famously wore a sheer dress on the catwalk of a charity fashion show while she attended the college. That moment is now widely considered to be when Prince William started to see her differently — and we don't blame him. By the time the pair graduated, they were already a couple, and Middleton wore her soon-to-be famous locks straight and sleek for the occasion, with a deep part and slight side-swept bangs.

Just two years later, in 2007, Middleton was photographed walking from her flat in London's upscale Chelsea neighborhood with the same sleek, side-parted hair, although the bangs had grown out into face-framing layers. Here, we got a peek into the beginning of Middleton's relationship — if you can call it that — with the paparazzi. But she was far from caught off-guard, with nay a strand of hair out of place. With long length and subtle layers, her locks were picture perfect.

Here's a picture we're all familiar with: when William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, officially announced that they'd made it official. After eight years of dating (and much anticipation), Prince William finally popped the question while on vacation in Kenya. Now there are a few things, besides Kate Middleton's hair (which is why we're all here), to take note of. Let's start with the sapphire and diamond ring he used to seal the deal — it's famous in its own right, as it's the same one that his father King Charles III used to propose to his mother, the late Princess Diana. Secondly, Middleton's royal blue Issa dress (which plays off the blue of the sapphire) set in motion what is now known as the "Kate Effect," which saw the dress sell out almost instantly.

But back to the hair. To mark the momentous occasion, Middleton wore her hair in what would become her signature style: glossy, polished, and slightly curled. She was proving to the world that she was ready for her close-up, crown, or whatever else life was going to throw at her.

For her historic wedding day, Kate Middleton went against tradition, wearing a half-up hairstyle instead of the full updo preferred by the Palace. And we must say, her instincts were spot-on. Her loose waves echoed her signature style, while the pulled-back front added the formal touch that such an occasion demands. Also, the tiara — the Cartier Halo tiara to be exact, which is encrusted with 888 diamonds — and the hand-embroidered veil were not to be overlooked.

Speaking to Marie Claire, royal reporter Ashley Pearson revealed that the half-up, half-down hairstyle was actually a compromise. "Royal sources tell me that the royals indicated very strongly to Kate that they would prefer her to wear her hair up for this very special occasion. However, Kate had her heart set on wearing her hair down with long flowing curls, which is her favorite way to wear it, and actually William's favorite as well. They ended up compromising on her look." Once again, love wins the day.

The world turns. A baby is born (a prince in line to the throne, no less). The bangs grow out. But one thing stays the same: Kate Middleton's fabulous hair is still fabulous, even mere hours after giving birth. To announce the arrival of Prince George of Wales, Middleton wore her long hair natural yet polished, with subtle blond highlights. It was almost like she was just on a beach, not giving birth to a future king. 

Now, while most of the credit goes to Middleton's naturally fabulous mane and great hair genes, a little credit is due to her personal hairstylist, Amanda Cook Tucker. According to Grazia, aside from his royal parents, Cook Tucker was the second person (after the doctor) to meet Prince George in the Lindo Wing following his birth. If that doesn't give you an idea of how high Middleton's stylist ranks, we don't know what will. 

In the summer of 2015, Kate Middleton debuted curtain bangs — and stole the show while she was at it. At Wimbledon that year, she caused a lot of fuss when she debuted a honey-tinted hue and what looks like an early version of what would end up being a curtain bang. Middleton is a huge Wimbledon fan, and even though the action was on the court, all eyes were on the grandstands where Middleton showed off her new hairstyle and L.K. Bennett dress in a show-stopping shade. She also carried an incredibly perfect leopard-print clutch to cement her chic style.

A few months later, while visiting the Anna Freud Centre in London, the headline-making hairstyle was more pronounced — it took a while, but she finally committed fully to the bangs. Plus, her sleek longer lengths helped accent her new addition. No, not Princess Charlotte of Wales, who was born in May of that year. We're talking about those gorgeous, perfectly blown-out curtain bangs that had the masses running for their barber shears.

Kate Middleton's hair is nothing if not consistent: consistently long, chestnut-hued, and magnificently coiffed. So we do love it when she surprises us a little. And while we see the half-up, half-down style occasionally, it's usually tucked under a fascinator or a hat. Early in 2016 during the royals' tour of India, this half-back style proved to be a watershed moment, because afterwards we started to see it on Middleton more regularly.

Just a few months later, at the Heads Together's Mind Charity, a few notable things happened. First, Middleton wore a Banana Republic skirt that then immediately sold out thanks to the Kate Effect. Secondly, she donned a pair of boxing gloves and threw some punches. Thirdly, her honey-highlighted bombshell blowout looked this good both before and after her boxing session. If she'd tell us what hairspray she uses, that would sell out in a second, too.

Turns out Kate Middleton can be a bit of a trickster. Or maybe, like us, she's just curious about potentially risky hairstyles. After all, when long, cascading locks are your signature look, it's only natural to wonder how a closer crop would look (we know it's not just us.) At the Remembrance Sunday service in 2017, curious minds (which perhaps even included Middleton herself) finally had their question answered when the princess wore a faux bob tucked elegantly under a wide-brimmed hat. And just as we had imagined, she looked stunning with short hair. Looking carefully at this sculptural hairdo, you can see that what at first glance looks like short hair curled delicately under is actually her long lengths tucked and securely pinned. 

But faux or not, this deceiving hairstyle attracted a lot of attention. Despite much speculation, it wasn't a trial run, and she didn't end up pulling out the scissors and fully committing to the look.

June 2019 was a banner month for Kate Middleton. Somehow, she managed to make her trademark tresses look new and fresh as she attended a gala dinner in Central London wearing an off-the-shoulder dress. The volume was off the charts, and the color? A perfect highlighted caramel shade. Just in case you're wondering, someone was standing to her right holding an umbrella above her because it was raining. Not even Middleton's hair can look that picture perfect during a downpour with no protection.

Then, just weeks later, she turned heads at the Royal Ascot. Now, there are updos, and then there is art. And Middleton's intricate hairstyle was the latter. Delicate and romantic, her hair was precisely coiled and pinned behind her left ear. It was almost a crime to hide it under a hat (although, what a glorious hat it was — so, forgiven). We know this ritzy event is about the horses, but Middleton was the clear winner.

And let it grow, she did. In the spring of 2021, at the reopening of the V&A Museum in London, the royal showed off what had been keeping her busy during lockdown: growing her hair out. We are here for those long locks (and has a face mask ever looked so chic?) that perfectly complemented her drop-waist, red houndstooth dress.

Later in the year, at the Royal Variety Performance, Kate Middleton gave her usual blowout a break and stepped up the glam with glossy curls. The side-parted, over-the-shoulder cascade of curls was the perfect accompaniment to her sequinned Jenny Packham gown (that ended up getting all the press because it was recycled — but, let's be honest, it's gorgeous and deserves it). The tight curls were a departure from her signature style, especially in 2021, when we saw Middleton sporting sleeker styles far more often than before. And that shine even rivaled her spangled gown.

In one of her first appearances as Catherine, Princess of Wales, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Middleton turned heads on the 2023 BAFTA red carpet in a white chiffon Alexander McQueen gown. But the best accessory (no, not the Zara earrings that everyone went crazy for) was her straight, middle-parted hair, pulled elegantly away from her face and tucked behind her shoulders. The end result was very Old Hollywood glam. Because after all, when you're a princess, you'd better look the part. 

Later in the year, during a visit to the Young V&A Museum in London, Middleton debuted a twist on her signature style. We're used to big, bouncy curls on the princess, but those she wore to the museum's opening post-renewal seem to defy gravity. Her color had been updated, too, to a warmer, highlighted tone. It was shiny, voluminous, and catching the light just so — all proof that Middleton's hair really was (and remains) her crowning glory. But despite all that, what the fans really wanted to know is: Did she just happen to wear pink, or was she hopping on the nostalgic Barbiecore fashion trend like the rest of us?

While in Cardiff, Wales, to kick off the United Kingdom's Black History Month festivities in 2023, Kate Middleton made an incredibly cute heart-hands move. The move was analyzed by body language expert Darren Stanton, a representative of Betfair Casino who said it shows she is "full of compassion" (via Scottish Daily Express). "From this, it shows she is definitely following in Diana's footsteps, with how gracious and open she's being," he said, detailing the way Middleton embraced the crowd. "Her warmth really comes through in the pictures from this engagement."

The gesture may have indeed shown that Middleton is full of compassion, but we're guessing that she was also full of love on this day, in part for her flowy middle-parted hair that had come full circle from the straight style she debuted in her early paparazzi days. While her locks have maintained the elements of sleekness, shininess, and volume right through her hair journey, the flowy yet structured waves here were yet another addition to her story. 

So yes, Kate, we heart your hair, especially with that fringe. Although the color is pretty good, too, as are those curls. We heart it all — please keep surprising us.